I had many conversations with my friend Paul pertaining to his friends. I have selected a few segments of his conversations from just four individuals. Three things stand out: 1. The misuse of word meanings 2.Ignorance of political and economic history 3. Beliefs and decisions that are contrary to self-interest. Thinking about the above leads to the question: “ Are they stupid?”
Briefly, psychologists, about 100 years ago, first engaged in psychometric examinations with school-age children. One of their concerns led to the evaluation of intellectual performance and potential- that relates to behavioral choices, ability to learn and how personality factors affect that potential. David Wechsler and colleagues created an intelligence scale- test for both children and adults. According to Dr. Wechsler,” an intelligence test is a psychometric device… Assessing an individual’s potential for purposeful and useful behavior.” He added, “information obtained from intelligence tests is relevant to the extent that it establishes and reflects whatever it is one defines as overall capacity for intelligent behavior.”
In both the children and adult intelligence scales or tests, there are 11 subtests that are associated in both the left and right hemispheres in the brain - the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus regions. The following three subtests address the intelligence of the individuals in question.
Vocabulary Is the first sub test to be applied. Vocabulary is a measure of learning ability; verbal information; a range of ideas influenced by educational background . This subtest is the best single measure of general intelligence. Vocabulary gives an excellent picture of richness of ideas, quality of language and degree of abstract thinking. Further, this subtest also provides a semantic use of words and gives insight into an individual's thought process. Moreover, this subtest provides an indication of the defense mechanism of intellectualization and emotional disturbance. Importantly, it provides a good idea of familial-cultural backgrounds, and educational level of the parents. With that being said, a misuse and non understanding of words suggests deficits with parental upbringing, limited school achievement, impaired intellectual ability as well as the difficulty in communicating correctly within a hateful emotional belief system. For example, Paul told me that his friend used the word pedophile incorrectly in both understanding and application.Paul defined the word for him. That impoverished believed the slanderous lies told about Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden -eating babies.His general intelligence and learning ability are questionable.
Information was the second subtest applied. This subtest measures general information that the individual extracted from his surrounding environment and his ability to store this information as in general knowledge. Therefore, remote memory, capacity for associative thinking, as well as range of interests is limited with low scores . The depth of an individual's degree of information is an indication of intellectual capacity and general knowledge. More intelligent individuals have broader interests, greater curiosity and seek mental stimulation. Also, information acquired is also related to experiences and opportunities available in our society.
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Limited education, not taking advantage of available information, lack of curiosity and restricted intellectual capacity are exemplified in the following episode. Paul provided a visual and auditory recording of one of Dwight Eisenhower's presentations. In the video, Eisenhower's use of language, knowledge and abilities presented coherent, reliable and valid information . Paul then presented a second video of Trump. Trump's use of vocabulary, lack of coherence, lies, put downs and his disrespect were clearly obvious when Trump deviated from the script. The individual in question clearly had little historical knowledge and was in disbelief about what she saw and heard. She was unable to compare and adequately contrast all the inadequacies and limitations of her hero Trump suggesting a limited and biased intellectual capacity of general knowledge.
Comprehension was the third subtest. This subtest measures behavior that occurs in social situations. The behavior in social situations takes into account moral behaviors that are required in everyday living experiences. Of course, parenting, school, and peer group experiences also play a part regarding moral behavior.Individuals with broader interests are more curious and have a greater wealth of knowledge, enabling them to solve practical social problems presented to them in daily living. Being able to make practical judgments, these individuals have a better opportunity to evaluate and utilize past experiences in socially acceptable ways. The ability to verbalize correctly suggests appropriateness of thinking. This test also reflects the emotional state and stability of the individual. Low scores in this subtest are associated with physical and psychological limitations, concrete thinking, limited capacity to accept hypothetical premises to work on hypothetical conclusions. Moreover, they exhibit and are associated with an over-dependent character structure.
Paul had a conversation with a Republican Teamster who did not understand the importance of unions, benefits acquired such as healthcare nor did he understand the political party that was responsible for diminishing and curtailing the power of unions and their benefits. With another Republican couple, an illustration of impaired thinking , amorality , and non coherence was related to contradictory self-interest. In this situation, the wife had never worked, was disabled and received money from the government for her disability. She did not know the position of the political party regarding "government handouts." However, she knew how to badmouth the current president and did not consider the amoral character of the past president. No wealth of information, common sense or understanding of republican party principles that are not in her self interest was acknowledged by her.
Walter Cronkrite and Edward R. Murrow provided objective information and did not pander to any particular political party. Unfortunately, we now have oppositional hateful rhetoric coming from Rush, "he died '' and some cable news channels that advertise “ they are fair and balanced.”
Today's media types remind me of Elmer Gantry. Gantry was a character in the Sinclair Lewis novel by that name. Gantry was a self-serving, hedonistic, charmer with a salesman personality. Erich Fromm described this type as having a marketing orientation in "Man for Himself: An Inquiry into the Psychology of Ethics." Gantry, with the public, was personable, seductive, an intelligent manipulator driven by the almighty dollar. This pathetic inauthentic shallow individual was severely limited emotionally-of course hidden from the public. Were lying, cheating, exploiting, and manipulating his values? Of course, his amoral character was prevalent. He had a commodity to sell and that was religious fundamentalism to small American towns-for-profit. He was a true capitalist.
The fair and balanced cable channel has terrific, well-educated, attractive marketing people -Elmer Gantry types. They are not journalists, their job is simply to spread hate, lies and authoritarian misinformation for personal profit. They have a legion of loyal and gullible followers that they can easily manipulate. These Elmer Gantry types' success is based on their friendly, seductive personalities. Some likely believe in themselves, although most are extremely inauthentic. The messaging is consistent regardless of the spokesperson as if they're all reading the same script. Examples-2020 election was stolen, with no mention that the fraudulent Trump and his allies were the ones attempting to steal it. Of course the January 6, 2020 occurrence was just a political discourse. Further, it's not a surprise that they are paid well as they are very slick and skilled in what they do. Note, the fair and balanced cable channel lies with that description. Fair and balanced, for whom? The Elmer Gantry's live on.
Homo sapiens begin life with fear and dependency. In the Prince, Machovelli identified fear as a powerful motivator to control the populace. Fair and balanced media does just that with this wonderful array of marketing personality types. Years ago, Leon Festinger identified cognitive dissonance motivation. Simply, cognitive dissonance results from a conflict of imported salient information. If contrary concrete information regarding belief and perception of self is received from external sources, anxiety interferes. This tension in the mind is painful and must be eliminated . As a result, the mind creates defenses that limit or prohibit that information from being received. Therefore, the mind takes in, receives, assimilates and accommodates information that is not stressful. These Republicans,without conflict,take in false rhetoric from their marketing salesman personality types.. The mind does not deal with the truth,objectivity and reason. With cognitive dissonance,the mind only has to deal with eliminating the irritation of tension.
In essence our politics are more divisive as ever as the Republican Totalitarian Party fears losing power resulting from the changing demographics occurring in the country. Therefore, the Party has become more overtly totalitarian in its belief and practice for its minority rule. Do away with democracy based on popular vote. The Totalitarian Party can accomplish power by gaining control over state legislatures and the voting procedures. With sophistication, this party provides fearful messaging to its own. They claim the other party wants to eliminate police, allow abortions, facilitate murderers and rapists and take away guns. They also claim that wearing a mask takes away liberty. This is all the perpetuation of First and Second Amendment nonsense and lies by these politicians. Oh yeah, book bannings and not being able to teach racial history is what? The educated politicians are also clever marketeers with their hateful, irrational rhetoric ,exploitative ,restrictive and fraudulent policies that easily misled their limited, guilliable intellectual and psychological horde. However, it is clear that Paul's friends who vote Republican have the following characteristics: 1. Their amount of knowledge and range of information is politically and historically extremely narrow. 2. Their alertness toward the world is biased 3. Their common sense and practical information is negligible.Their learning ability , verbal misinformation and cognitive capacity appears to be influenced and limited by controlled sources. According to Albert Einstein, knowledge is limited, imagination encircles the world.I add “ we all know about the fantasies,beliefs and wishful thinking that occurs in the mind.”
PS
As a licensed psychologist I taught psychology classes including research and design to both undergraduate and graduate students at the University level. Additionally,for about 25 years or so, I provided psychological evaluations. I used a variety of psychological tests including Wechsler's intelligence scales for children and adults. Wechsler's tests were excellent in providing insight into intellectual and personality tendencies. These psychological evaluations were administered in prisons{competency to stand trial} in locked mental health facilities; inpatient group homes; outpatient County mental health facilities..
Reference
Wechsler, David . The Measurement and Appraisal of Adult Intelligence.
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